The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-29
Louisiana's Faction Fight.

The Democratic party i'll Louisiana is be
ing pretty thoroughly shaken up. There
are two factions in the party in that State
and they are wide apart in theirpolicies and
purposes respecting State affairs. a con-
tost for the control of the approaching State
convention has been in progress for several
weeks, and the organs and stump speakers
of the two factions have given the people
but little opportunity to think of anything
else than State politics. The faction that
has control of the State government is
striving to have Gov. Sam d. McEaery re-
nominated, and the other faction is urging
the nomination of ex-Gov. Nichols.
A Senatorship is also involved in the con-
test. The term of Gen. Gibson, the
senior United States Senator, expires very
soon, and the Legislature to be elected this
fall will choose his successor. Gen. Glib
son is battling for the Nichols faction, and
his colleague, Senator Eustis, is in sympathy
with the McEnery faction.
The supporters of ex-Gov. Nichols assert
that they have the better element of the
party with them, and that if they are sue
ceSsful they will introduce into the admins
tration of State affairs purer methods and
will put a better class Of men into the minor
offices. In other words, they pledge them
selves to inaugurate some reforms Of which,
it is asserted, the people stand greatly in
in need.
Gov. McEnery has already been elected
Governor twice, and the third term cry has
been raised against him. He pretends that
he has done more than any of his predeces-
sors toward improving the levee system of
the State. He has certainly exertcd himself
in behalf of levee building, but whether he
has really accomplished much in that direc-
ton is a question that is not regarded as
settled If his performances had been equal
to his pretensions the levees would be in a
much better condition than they are. The
belief is expressed that his influence in State
affairs is not great, and that his course
upon every important matter is dictated by
a small number of shrewd politicians who
find him a very useful instrument in adj
vancing their own schemes.
The factions are separated by feeling so
bitter that the probability of their acting
in complete harmony in the near future is
not promising. If it were not for the fact
that the supremacy Of the party is menaced
by strong, but unorganzed, Republican
party, they would carry their warfare to
much greater extremes than they have yet
DONE They are not so mad, however, as to
nominate separate tickets. They know if
they did that the Republicans would get
control of the State. As much as they dis
like each other, they are forced to stand
together to resist the Republicans.
The Republicans seem to think that there
is a fighting chance for them at the next
election. They hope that the defeated
Democratic faction win be so embttered
that it Will T OF give the ticket of the party
a hearty support, and that they will have a
chance, therefore, to eject their ticket.
They have called convention and propose
to nominate full State ticket. They will
be disappointed, because before the State
will be permitted to pass under their control
again the Democrats will abandon their
faction fight for time and give their
ticket a sufficient support to elect it. The
probability now is that Gov. McEnery will
be reelected, and if Gen. Gibson gets back
to the Senate it will be by a majority so
small as to almost take his breath away